There are games for every taste — sports, action, adventure, strategy and education. Games are made for personal computers, consoles and arcades.

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Video, computer and mobile games are among the most complex forms of interactive media. Games simulate many elements of traditional media such as plot, characters, sound and music, lighting and theatre. However, games are digital artifacts played through graphic interfaces and controllers. They draw upon a unique mix of player resources and take you to a simulated, virtual world.

Computer and video games have come a long way since Space Invaders and PacMan. Today’s games are much more complex and interesting, and the technology has advanced to the point where a gamer can become immersed in a multimedia-enabled virtual reality or an alternate world. Some of the most popular video games are New Super Mario Bros, Age of Conan: Hyborian Adventures, Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare, Grand Theft Auto IV, Guitar Hero World Tour, Napoleon Dynamite: The Game, Aliens vs Predator 2, Bus Driver and LEGO Batman: The Videogame.

PlayStation Portable was developed in the US in 2005 by the Sony Computer Entertainment Company. It soon became a highly desirable, portable and handheld wireless device for multiple entertainment purposes. A one-time fee to TiVo ToGo allows users to watch television and save the data to a memory device. The “location free” option allows one to watch TV anywhere in the world on the PSP device.

PlayStation 2 or PS2 is Sony’s second video game console, the successor to the successful PlayStation and predecessor to the PlayStation 3 .

The PS2 is part of the sixth generation era, and is the best-selling console to date, having reached over 127 million units in sales by the end of 2007. Some of the well-known PlayStation 2 games are SOCOM, Buzz Junior Robo Jam, SingStar Pop hits and Tomb Raider: Legend.

What do I have to do?
Game developers usually employ programmers, game designers, artists, sound engineers, producers and game testers. Programmers write new source codes, artists develop game assets such as sprites or, more often today, 3D models of game elements. Sound engineers develop sound effects and composers develop music for the game. Level designers create advanced and eye-catching levels, and writers pen dialogue for cut scenes and non-player characters.

In a game design context, simulated illumination is embedded in the vocabulary of the 3D modelling software (Maya and 3D Studio Max) used in game production. Art directors and level designers often struggle with various software, including image editing software such as Adobe Photoshop, level editors and 3D modelling software to produce the desired illumination effect in the game environment. Each software contains algorithms that establish simulated illumination. These algorithms have their own set of assumptions concerning how lighting is established or simulated, including shadow appearance and colour.

What should I study?
For game design, the basic qualification is Plus Two or an equivalent course. Proficiency in basic computing skills and multimedia packages is an added advantage.

What next?
Due to the availability of cost-effective resources, India is rapidly becoming one of the hottest regions for offshore game development. There are several companies offering game development solutions. Synapse is a leading offshore software development company in India offering quality game development services to clients across the world.

Sony Computer Entertainment has tied up with 13 Indian game developers to produce Indian games that could be priced lower than the existing Rs 499 per title. The 2008 Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry report reveals that the Indian gaming industry earned Rs 270 crore in 2007, up 32 per cent from Rs 205 crore in 2006.

Source: The Telegraph (Kolkata, India)

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